Term | Definition |
Intentional Torts | Actions intended to cause injury to others |
Intent | The desire to commit an act for a specific purpose |
Assault | Offensive conduct that causes a reasonable apprehension of imminent harm |
Battery | Intentional, unauthorized physical contact that the victim considers harmful or offensive |
Medical Battery | Performing the wrong medical procedure or performing a procedure without the patient's consent |
False Imprisonment | Detention of a person without consent and without legal authority |
Malicious Prosecution | Wrongful prosecution of a person without reasonable and probable cause |
Intentional Infliction of Nervous Shock or Mental Suffering | Deliberately shocking someone, causing the victim to suffer mental or physical harm |
Trespass | The unlawful interference with the person, property, or rights of another |
Private Nuisance | Unreasonable and substantial interference with someone's right to enjoyment of property |
Public Nuisance | Unreasonable and substantial interference with interests that affect the community at large, such as public health and safety |
Chattel | Movable personal property |
Conversion | Unauthorized and substantial interference with another's property, which deprives the owner of its use |
Consent | Permission granted voluntarily for a specific act |
Self-Defence | The legal right to use reasonable force to protect oneself against injury from another |
Defence of a Third Party | The legal right to use reasonable force to protect someone from injury |
Legal Authority | The right given by law to engage in conduct that would otherwise be considered a tort |
Statutory Authority | Legislation that grants someone authority to perform an act that could create a nuisance |
Defamation | Injury to a person's reputation or good name by slander or libel |
Slander | A defaming oral statement or gesture |
Libel | Defamation in a permanent form, such as written or recorded statements |
Truth | A defence to defamation that the comments alleged to be defamatory are verified and established facts |
Fair Comment | A defence to defamation that the comments were honest and made without malice |
Malice | Any improper or ulterior motive for publishing a defamatory statement |
Absolute Privilege | Protection from liability for statements made in Parliament, in a legislation or courtroom, at a military hearing, or before a tribunal |
Qualified Privilege | Protection from liability for statements made in certain situations as long as the statements are made without malice |